Birdie Stripe Fully Lined Cotton Pencil Pleat Curtains - Natural

These Birdie Stripe curtains lead with two things you can see straight away in the cloth: a wavy contrast stripe running the drop, and a gathered ruffle skirt across the foot. The face is 100% cotton, a lightweight cloth that hangs in soft folds rather than standing stiff, which is what gives the pencil pleat header its relaxed drape. They are sold as a pair and come in a wide spread of sizes, from 117 x 137cm up to 229 x 229cm, so there is a width and drop to suit both a modest window and a broad one.

The natural tone here is a soft oat and milk cream, warm rather than stark white, which is why it settles comfortably against painted plaster, wood floors and muted greens without fighting them. They earn their place in a bedroom or a living room where you want a little softness and personality at the window, and the ruffle skirt gives them a country, informal feel that sits well with a wooden pole. Because they are fully lined, they add privacy and cut daytime light, so they work where a bare cotton panel would let too much through.

The lining is a 52% polyester and 48% cotton blend, chosen to hold its shape and give the panel a little more body behind the lightweight cotton face. Cotton is a breathable, easy-care fibre that takes a wash well and presses smooth, though a fabric this lightweight will crease and benefit from hanging straight off the pole. The header is a standard pencil pleat, which draws up onto curtain tape and takes most curtain hooks and pole or track systems. Style them full, with a generous gather, to make the most of the wavy stripe and the ruffle at the hem.

Is this price for one curtain or a pair?

This is a pair of curtains, so you receive two panels. Each measurement given is per pair, so check the total width against your pole or track.

What does fully lined mean for light and privacy?

Fully lined means a separate backing cloth is sewn behind the cotton face, which adds privacy and reduces daytime light compared with a single unlined panel.

What is the ruffle skirt at the bottom?

It is a gathered frill of the same cotton across the foot of each curtain, which adds a soft, informal, country feel to the hem.

How do pencil pleat curtains hang on a pole?

The header tape draws up into even gathers and takes standard curtain hooks, so they suit most poles and tracks. Hang them full to show the stripe and ruffle.

Which size should I choose?

Sizes run from 117 x 137cm up to 229 x 229cm as a pair. Measure your pole width and the drop you want, and allow extra width for a full gather.